of emolument in other quarters have not attracted him from the comparatively humble but useful station he so eminently occupies. Incontrovertible evidence of a great and good man!

To return to the Tax. The first intimation I ever heard of it was from Nathaniel Greene, in his private room over the old Post Office, and but a short time after I became a public officer. Supposing that it was mere badinage, in which he habitually indulged, I treated it accordingly. Bat in July 1830, I received an invitation in writing, to "attend a meeting of the Central Committee," (to which I did not belong,) "at the Navy Agent's office in Statestreet." I remarked, as singular at the time, that General McNeil did not receive any invitation. I went there on the appointed evening, ignorant of the business which required so formidable a summons. In a short time some ten or twelve public officers made their appearance. I suppose all who were invited; for the usual plan was to assemble those who could be relied upon to pass a measure, and then, afterwards to enforce it on the rest, as the fiat of the party, from which there was no appeal. Mr. John Crowninshield, an appraiser, was chosen Chairman, and Mr. J. P. Robinson, (Public Store-keeper, formerly a Clerk in the House of Henshaw & Co.) Secretary. Then uprose Mr. Simpson with an aspect of solemn and melancholy concern. He said, substantially, "That it probably was known to every office-holder present that Mr. Nathaniel Greene, the Editor of the Boston Statesman had conducted the late political contest, in that paper, with singular zeal and ability. That he had contracted in these generous efforts large debts, amounting to over thirty thousand dollars-about $33,000;* that the officers of the government in Boston must be conscious that they obtained their offices through the distinguished exertions of the Statesman and the party which sustained it; that Mr. Greene, although he had obtained a valuable office, could not, out of the profits which remained after deducting his necessary expenses, pay off much of the principal of the $33,000 debt, if at the same time he was obliged to keep down the interest. That political affairs were uncertain, and it was an object with Mr. Greene to exonerate himself from debt as soon as possible, and he would limit his expenses to only 1200 dollars a year! He (Mr. Simpson,)

*It was 15,000 only at Washington the year before.

therefore thought, upon the whole view of the case, that it was not only proper, but incumbent on all the public officers in Boston to club together, and annually, by an assessment, pay the interest of Mr. Greene's debts, ($1,980) while he was diligently sweeping off the principal!" Mr. Simpson had no sooner taken his seat, than Mr. Brodhead, who sat on my left at a round table, “moved that a committee be appointed to retire and doom the several officers of the District in an annual sum each, for the purpose suggested."

I never was more completely thunderstruck. The word "doom," (used to me, in a novel sense,) rang in my ears. Owing money myself, and receiving but a small salary in comparison with the expenses of my station, I was chilled to the bone by such a ruinous proposition. I thought to remonstrate, but was kindly informed that probably the assessment on the Surveyor's Department would be only 250 dollars per annum ! Another officer, however, who felt his gains leaking from him like quicksilver, rose and proposed that before the fatal doom was pronounced, a Committee should be chosen to investigate the actual amount of the debt, when contracted, and for what considerations. A request so reasonable could not be refused, although evidently a disappointment, and the Committee was appointed.

I left the meeting filled with indignation and disgust at the baseness and extortionate character of the project. What! I exclaimed, is this the beginning of a "Reform” Administration. Are we put in office only to be devoured by the greater serpents of the party? Here is Greene, but late a poor printer, with an appointment worth $6000 per annum which he obtained by pleading this very debt, now calling on me to aid him in discharging it; when, with only a quarter of that sum, I shall have a struggle to pay my own debts, unless I also have the privilege of plundering my subordinate officers.

The next morning, I represented to General McNeil the transactions of the evening, and found him, as I expected, decidedly hostile to the project. I declaimed against it throughout the Custom House, presenting conclusive reasons, hereafter stated, for resisting its enforcement. There was considerable excitement on

the subject.

I find in my original minutes of this transaction that the first meeting was adjourned to the Statesman Office, and from thence.

was immediately adjourned for a week, to Mr. Simpson's dwelling house. Now the cause of this selection of a private house was this; it excluded from the meeting myself, who had never had a private invitation to Mr. S's, and therefore could not with propriety attend on a general invitation, and it excluded others similarly situated, all of us opposed most earnestly to the proposed measure. The next place of meeting was Mr. C. Henshaw's house. In the meantime the work had been carrying on at these private dwellings by those who were interested in its success and those who dared not resist the mandates of their masters. All the arrangements being at length completed, they came forth into open day again, and appointed a meeting at the Navy Agent's office on the 13th August. General McNiel for the first time, received an invitation to attend this meeting. We did not attend; indeed I attended none but the first meeting, having instantly and decidedly taken my ground. But on the morning of the 14th we were informed, by a faithful and honest man who was present, that the Committee appointed at the first meeting reported Nathaniel Greene's debts at 30,000 dollars, contracted for political purposes. All the public officers were doomed by the Committee. Our informant further stated, that he told the meeting "that in January, 1828, Nathaniel Greene assembled "the party" in Boston, and represented to them his embarrassments, confessing that two thousand dollars would clear him of debt on the Statesman account; and that then he" (our informant,) “and other zealous Jacksonmen went forth and obtained new subscribers to that amount, and supposed they had entirely relieved the publishers." Upon this statement one of the "Leaders" remarked, with much vehemence, that "the nine gentlemen who were sureties for the debt of 30,000 knew five years ago all about it." Our informant suggested that the debt was a private debt, contracted some years before, for very different than political transactions. There was so much dissatisfaction expressed by the under officers at the report of the Committee, that the Leaders had to give way for a time and appoint a new Committee to investigate the amount and causes of the debt.

I should have stated, that previous to this meeting, encountering one of the Leaders in Congress-street, he immediately spoke of the proposed assessment, and said that "it was no new thingMcCrate, Collector at Wiscasset, made all his officers pony up in

supporting the Jackson paper there, and why not do the same in Boston?" But he further remarked, that they (the Leaders,) had about concluded to give up the assessment and make a subscription of it; that Henshaw would give 400 per annum, District Attorney 200, Simpson 200, Brodhead 200, &c. &c. The joke of this scheme was, that these were some of the very creditors to whom the debt was due, and if by such liberal subscriptions they could excite the uninitiated under officers to an equal liberality, the interest would be secured!

In the meanwhile the new Committee was hard at work, its Chairman, an Inspector, determined to search the bottom of the mystery. While he was thus engaged, the Leaders frequently expressed to those who would report it to him, the opinion that he had not been sufficiently rewarded in the distribution of offices and ought to be made a Weigher and Guager--i. e. instead of 1095 dollars per annum he ought to have $4000. After a decent time for deliberation, the new Committee reported that it appeared Mr. Nathaniel Greene's debts amounted to 20,000 dollars only, but that they had not been permitted to see the credit side of the account. neither subscriptions, advertisements, nor any thing, but the debtor side! The Chairman afterwards stated in the Surveyor's office, that he believed the whole affair a mere humbug. That in all probability Greene owed debts, for which his friends were responsible, but they never were contracted by publishing the Statesman, er for any other political expenditures.

An assessment on the public officers was therefore finally declared for the payment of 1200 dollars per year, the interest of twenty thousand, a debt due from the Postmaster to the Collector and his associates. It amounted to about 5 per cent. of their salaries; or rather I conclude so, because the annual sum demanded of General McNiel was in that ratio. The General was called upon by Mr. J. P. Robinson, the Secretary of the first meeting, and the agent for the collection, to pay 150 dollars per annum. He refused. In a week or two afterwards, Mr. Robinson called again, and stated that 125 dollars would be considered sufficient. The General declined paying any thing. I was invited, but peremptorily expressed my disgust at the whole project. Two or three of the under officers refused. They were told by Robinson that the Collector approved of the scheme and they would lose

1017

TO BE CONTINUED.]

In consequence of the numerous subjects to be treated of, it has been found necessary to extend the limits of the work farther than was at first contemplated, and as considerable anxiety has been manifested to see it, it has been thought advisable to issue it in two parts. The second number is now in press and will be published with all possible expedition. It will contain a continuation of The Tax-The Conspiracy-Beauties of Jacksonism-Removal of the Deposites-Antidotes-and Conclusion.